Alex Ruben
How To Access BIOS from Command Prompt (CMD) in Windows Without Key Presses
Getting into the BIOS or UEFI can be a bit of a pain sometimes—especially if the usual key presses like F2 or DEL aren’t working or if you’re doing remote troubleshooting. The good news is, you can actually jump straight into BIOS from within Windows itself, no need to mash keys during boot. This is kinda handy if your timing’s off or if your keyboard’s acting weird at startup. Of course, it requires admin privileges and UEFI support, but it’s a pretty straightforward way to get there without sweating through reboot loops.
How to Access BIOS from Command Prompt in Windows 10/11
Open Command Prompt as Administrator
First, you gotta run Command Prompt with admin rights—otherwise, the command’s not gonna do much. Here’s the drill:
- Hit the Windows key, then type CMD. Don’t just click it, right-click and choose Run as administrator.
- If you’re prompted by User Account Control, just say yes. This step is crucial, otherwise, the command won’t run with enough privileges.
Use the Proper Command to Reboot into BIOS
Once the command prompt is up, you’ll type in a special command that instructs Windows to restart your machine directly into the BIOS/UEFI menu. Here’s what it probably looks like:
shutdown /r /fw /t 0
Deep breath, then hit Enter. The /r is for restart, /fw opens the firmware setup, and /t 0 is telling it to do that immediately. Might be worth rounding up any open work before doing this, just in case it suddenly jumps into setup mode without warning.
This should cause your machine to reboot and automatically load into BIOS or UEFI, skipping the usual key-hitting dance. The reason this works is because Windows directly calls the firmware interface—kind of weird, but hey, it does the job.
What if It Doesn’t Work? Troubleshooting
If that command doesn’t do anything or your machine ignores it, here’s what else might be happening:
- Some systems are running legacy BIOS instead of UEFI, so the /fw switch isn’t recognized. On those, you might need to stick with the old-fashioned F2 or DEL during startup.
- The UEFI settings in your firmware might have virtualization or secure boot options turned off—check your firmware manually if nothing happens.
- And, of course, not all hardware plays nice with this method. On certain setups, the command needs specific UEFI support enabled or a firmware update.
Other Tips & Tricks
It’s a bit inconsistent depending on your hardware, but here’s what else might help:
- If Windows isn’t configured to boot in UEFI mode, the command might not work. Check under Settings > Update & Security > Recovery in Windows—see if you have an option to reboot into UEFI from there.
- Sometimes, enabling fast startup can make it harder to trigger BIOS menu from Windows—check under Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do. Try disabling fast startup if you’re troubleshooting this.
Wrap-up
This method isn’t foolproof, but it’s a decent shortcut for firing up BIOS without having to guess the right key at the exact moment during reboot. Not sure why it works on some machines and not others—it’s a bit black magic, honestly. Still, it’s worth trying if you’re stuck or if traditional methods aren’t cooperating. Sometimes, just a simple command line twist can save a bunch of hassle, especially on newer UEFI-based systems.
Summary
- Run Command Prompt as admin and execute
shutdown /r /fw /t 0. - If that doesn’t work, check if your system is UEFI enabled or try manual key presses during startup.
- Make sure fast startup isn’t blocking BIOS access.
Fingers crossed this helps
Getting into BIOS via command line isn’t the smoothest method on all setups, but in many cases, it’s faster than waiting for the timing to hit that F2 or DEL. Just be aware some systems require a different approach, especially if they’re legacy BIOS or have weird firmware quirks. Still, if nothing else, it’s a neat trick to keep in your toolbox.”